Analyzing Texts: Putting Thoughts on Paper

Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a
topic and convey ideas and information clearly.

a. Introduce a topic clearly, provide a general
observation and focus, and group related
information logically; include formatting (e.g.,
headings), illustrations, and multimedia when
useful to aiding comprehension.

b. Develop the topic with facts, definitions,
concrete details, quotations, or other
information and examples related to the topic.

c. Link ideas within and across categories of
information using words, phrases, and clauses
(e.g., in contrast, especially).

d. Use precise language and domain-specific
vocabulary to inform about or explain the
topic.

e. Provide a concluding statement or section
related to the information or explanation
presented.

Draw evidence from literary or informational texts
to support analysis, reflection, and research.

a. Apply grade 5 Reading standards to literature
(e.g., "Compare and contrast two or more
characters, settings, or events in a story or a
drama, drawing on specific details in the text
[e.g., how characters interact]").

b. Apply grade 5 Reading standards to
informational texts (e.g., "Explain how
an author uses reasons and evidence to
support particular points in a text, identifying
which reasons and evidence support which
point[s]").

TIMECODE COMMENT GRAPHICS
TEXT:
Common core: ELA
Delivering and Evaluating a Persuasive Speech
00:02:00 STACY BREWER: I want to get us started on this quickly because, now that you have all your ideas in your head, I really want you to have an opportunity to put this on paper.
00:02:08 GIRL: Well, [inaudible words] like [inaudible] like [inaudible words] on your, on your journey? TEXT:
Writing about a Complex Text
00:02:13 STACY BREWER: In the next part of my class, I transition them into writing by asking them to respond in writing to the comprehension questions about author’s viewpoint that we just talked about in text talk time. TEXT:
Stacy Brewer
5th Grade teacher
Stevenson Elementary – Bellevue, WA
00:02:25 STACY BREWER: I want you to know how important your writing is to me and that this is a way of sharing your thinking with me just like you did in text talk time, but in writing.
00:02:35 STACY BREWER: The questions on your paper are the same questions we just talked about, so nothing is new here. The first one we talked about was how does the author feel about Lewis and Clark. TEXT:
Common Core:
Write explanatory text to convey ideas and information
00:02:44 STACY BREWER: I give all my students the same task and most of the students work individually on this assignment while I pull a smaller group who needs more support from me. But, even with the small group, the assignment stays the same. TEXT:
Common Core:
Explain how an author uses reasons and evidence in a text
00:02:56 STACY BREWER: Let’s get started. Would you, before we start answering the questions, will you guys remind me what viewpoint is?
00:03:01 BOY: It’s like what you see in your, in your mind, like what you think. TEXT:
Common Core:
Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions
00:03:08 STACY BREWER: What you think and what your, so it’s from your point of view?
00:03:11 BOY: Yeah.
00:03:12 BOY: That means it’s like your opinion, not someone else’s.
00:03:16 STACY BREWER: So, I’m hearing a lot of you and your. Is it always just you though?
00:03:22 GROUP: No.
00:03:23 BOY: Because [inaudible] this, and like the second one says, what is the author’s viewpoint?
00:03:28 STACY BREWER: Okay.
00:03:29 BOY: You can talk about other people and talk…
00:03:31 STACEY BREWER: …and what they think.
00:03:32 BOY: Yeah.
00:03:34 STACY BREWER: The small group that I was working with today are all English language learners, so I knew when I started the group that I wanted to give them more opportunities to speak. The first question I posed to the group was how does the author feel about Lewis and Clark?
00:03:46 STACY BREWER: Brandon, maybe you want to read that question so we all are clear about it.
00:03:50 BRANDON: How does the author feel about Lewis and Clark?
00:03:53 STACY BREWER: Okay. So, you said you have some ideas.
00:03:56 BRANDON: That they’re really brave. They’re like, they’re like, they’re not like to go like saying, like I don’t want to do this anymore. They don’t change their mind. They’re just like, we’re going to do this and we’re going to go there.
00:04:09 STACY BREWER: Okay.
00:04:10 BOY: [inaudible]
00:04:13 BOY: Their perseverant.
00:04:14 STACY BREWER: I think that that’s what you were trying to say in text talk time, right, that you were like, they keep going, they don’t give up, they persevere. That’s a great word.
00:04:24 STACY BREWER: Before we start writing, let’s get our ideas out. Let’s talk about our ideas. When we talk about things, it helps get our brain ready for writing.
00:04:30 STACY BREWER: Once we’ve had a chance to share some ideas, then I ask them to help me come up with a first, a good first sentence.
00:04:37 STACY BREWER: So, what’s one good starting sentence that we could come up with? Jesus, I haven’t heard from you yet.
00:04:44 JESUS: well, something that I would do is, like, I think the author thinks that Lewis and Clark are brave. TEXT:
Common Core:
Determine main ideas of text
00:04:54 BOY: They’re like brave and nothing stops them. They’re like…
00:04:59 STACY BREWER: Like, if nothing stops you, it’s like determined, like you...
00:05:00 BOY: exactly.
00:05:01 STACY BREWER: ...you keep going, so you have the one word. What do you think Alan? What are you thinking you’re going to write for your big idea?
00:05:08 ALAN: I’m going to write about my big idea that nothing stopped them.
00:05:13 STACY BREWER: This writing task is the culmination of all of the work that we’ve done throughout the week with one shared text.
00:05:20 STACY BREWER: I was really happy with how excited the kids were when they got to the small group and felt so confident in coming up with evidence to back up their thinking, and they knew what they were talking about.
00:05:32 STACY BREWER: I had given them so much support that they felt confident in what they were saying and they owned it.
00:05:38 STACY BREWER: Can you read it to me?
00:05:40 BOY: From the beginning?
00:05:41 STACY BREWER: Yeah.
00:05:42 BOY: The author thought Lewis and Clark were determined. First, they had to cross around the waterfall, but that didn’t stop them, page 637. Then, they crossed the Rocky Mountains, but that didn’t stop them either, page 638. TEXT:
Common Core:
Quote accurately from a text
00:05:58 STACY BREWER: Please. I like how you added that that didn’t stop them either. You’re connecting that to determine so there’s no doubt in my mind.
00:06:04 STACY BREWER: So, while I was working with the small group, the rest of the class was expected to respond to those questions independently in writing. When they were done with that, they were able to move onto other independent tasks.
00:06:19 GIRL: [inaudible] packages [inaudible words].
00:06:20 STACY BREWER: I am super, super, super proud of you. You shared so much good thinking and I’m really excited to read your writing. Just what I got to hear with the small group that I was in, they came up with so many good clues and evidence to support their thinking.
00:06:36 STACY BREWER: I was so proud of them and I know that this, you’re going to do so well in middle school. I know that your teachers are going to ask you to do this and this will be no problem from [sic] you. You know how to find evidence in the text to support your thinking and I’m so proud to be your teacher.
00:06:52 STACY BREWER: The two writing standards I focused on today were supporting a topic with concrete details and information and drawing evidence from a literary text or an informational text to support your thinking or reflection about a text. TEXT:
Tch Classroom Takeaways:
Common Core
Writing
1. Support a topic with concrete details and inforamtion
2. Draw evidence to support thinking and reflection about a text
Tch Teaching Channel